Rooted in the ethnic Trinidad and Tobago musical culture, the steel band sound primarily consisted of an orchestra of finely tuned steel pans (drums). The Baltimore chapter was founded in 1972 by Richard Semper (double tenor), Larry Sinclair (double second), and Paul Gervais (single tenor). Their 1972 debut album featured the aforementioned founders along with Louis Potts (double tenor), H. Henry (single tenor), E. Grant (double second), R. Dyers (guitar), L. Thomas (guitar), W. Watkins (cellos), John Issack (bass), E. Dyers (tenor bass), C. Best (drums), R. Brown (tumbas), C. Patrick (cowbell), A. Bruno (bongos), P. Graham (iron-gracha), and I. Charles (tambourine). Musical arrangements were handled by Lenny Lawrence Rogers. Additional members included Glen Howard (drums –later with Some Friends of Mine, Future Now…)
The group played cabarets, and festivals including the International Festival of ‘72, and the Maryland Clam Festival. They were featured on the Sylvia Scott television program.
In 1974 the group was proclaimed the ‘Official steel band of Baltimore’ by Mayor William Donald Schaefer.
1974(LP) Bradley 4217 Trinidad and Tobago Baltimore Steel Orchestra
